Chapter 10: A Spark Too Real
1292 Words
Fake relationships... Were never supposed to feel this real.
And that was the problem.
Aria stood in the quiet lobby long after Caleb left.
The front door had closed minutes ago, but the sound seemed to linger in the air.
So did the warmth of his hand on her shoulder.
Friendly. Supportive. Dangerous.
She gathered the invoices from the desk and forced herself upstairs, trying to ignore the restless energy beneath her ribs.
This arrangement had rules.
Clear ones. No feelings. No complications.
No crossing lines.
So far, they had kept those rules.
Mostly.
But tonight felt different.
Closer.
And she didn’t like how easily she could remember the way he said her name.
The next afternoon, Aria drove into town to meet a furniture supplier who had agreed to sell her a set of refurbished tables for the inn’s dining room.
Progress felt good.
Normal. Safe.
The small warehouse sat near the edge of Maple Hollow, just past the lumber yard.
She parked and stepped out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she walked toward the open doors.
Inside, a tall man turned from a workbench.
“You must be Aria Bennett.”
His smile came easy.
Friendly. Confident.
“Yes.”
He wiped his hands on a cloth and walked over.
“Daniel Reeves,” he said, offering his hand.
She shook it.
His grip was warm and relaxed.
“Caleb mentioned you might stop by.”
Of course he had.
That thought alone made something inside her settle.
“I'm here about the tables.”
Daniel nodded.
“Right this way.”
The furniture was beautiful.
Solid wood.
Well-crafted.
Exactly the kind of pieces she wanted for Maple Sky Inn.
“These are perfect,” she said.
Daniel smiled.
“Told Caleb you'd like them.”
She ran her hand over the smooth surface.
“How soon can they be delivered?”
“Tomorrow, if you'd like.”
“That would be wonderful.”
He leaned casually against the table.
“So,” he said, “how are you liking Maple Hollow?”
“I love it here.”
“Small-town life suits you.”
She laughed softly.
“I’m still learning.”
“Well,” he said warmly, “you picked the right place.”
Something about his tone felt personal.
Not inappropriate.
Just... Interested.
And before she could respond, a truck engine sounded outside.
Heavy. Familiar.
Her stomach tightened.
Bootsteps crossed the concrete floor.
Slow. Deliberate.
Aria didn’t have to turn around.
She already knew.
Caleb.
He stopped a few feet away.
“Afternoon.”
The word came out flat.
Controlled.
Aria turned.
His expression was unreadable.
Which was never a good sign.
“Hi,” she said.
Daniel straightened.
“Hey, Caleb. Just showing Aria the tables.”
Caleb nodded once.
His gaze flicked to Daniel.
Then to Aria.
Then back again.
“How’s it going?”
“Good,” Daniel said easily. “We’re almost done here.”
Silence followed.
Heavy silence.
The air felt thicker than before.
Tighter.
And then...
Daniel said casually,
“We were just talking about how well she’s settling in.”
Caleb’s eyes returned to Aria.
Something sharp flickered there.
“Is that so.”
Not a question. A statement.
Cold. Possessive. Unexpected.
Aria felt it immediately.
The shift. The tension. Something new.
Something unfamiliar.
Something that made her pulse quicken.
And then Daniel added,
“You're lucky, man.”
Caleb didn’t respond right away.
The silence stretched.
Then,
“Yeah,” Caleb said quietly.
“I know.”
Daniel glanced between them, smiling.
“Well, I’ll get the paperwork ready.”
He disappeared toward the office.
Leaving them alone.
The moment he was gone,
Aria spoke.
“What was that?”
Caleb frowned slightly.
“What was what?”
“That tone.”
“No tone.”
“There was definitely a tone.”
He crossed his arms.
“You’re imagining things.”
She stared at him.
“I’m not.”
Silence hung between them.
Then he said,
“He talks a lot.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“He’s helping me.”
“That’s his job.”
“And?”
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then Caleb said quietly,
“You were laughing.”
Aria blinked.
“What?”
“You were laughing with him.”
Understanding dawned slowly.
Then hit all at once.
“You’re jealous.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Caleb’s jaw tightened.
“I’m not jealous.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You walked in like you were about to arrest someone.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“I was checking on the order.”
“You didn't have to glare at him.”
“I wasn’t glaring.”
“You absolutely were.”
Silence.
Then... He exhaled slowly.
“It doesn’t look convincing.”
She frowned.
“What doesn’t?”
“This.”
He gestured between them.
“If you’re flirting with someone else.”
Her eyes widened.
“I wasn’t flirting!”
“It looked like it.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Another quiet moment passed.
Then she said softly,
“You really were jealous.”
He didn’t answer.
Which was answered enough.
Something strange fluttered in her chest.
Warm. Unsteady. Dangerous.
Caleb shifted his weight.
“We made an agreement.”
“Yes.”
“People are watching.”
“I know.”
“So it has to look real.”
“It does look real.”
His gaze held hers.
Too steady. Too intense.
“Then act like it.”
Her breath caught slightly.
The words sounded simple.
But they weren’t.
Not anymore.
Daniel returned with the paperwork.
The moment broke.
Just like that.
But something lingered.
Something neither of them could ignore.
As Aria signed the papers, she could feel Caleb standing beside her.
Solid. Silent. Close. Too close.
When they walked outside together, evening light stretched across the road.
Caleb opened her truck door automatically.
She paused before getting in.
“Still not jealous?” she asked quietly.
His expression didn’t change.
“No.”
But his hand stayed on the door longer than necessary.
And his voice came lower this time.
“Just making sure you remember who you're supposed to be with.”
Her pulse skipped.
That wasn’t part of the act.
Not entirely.
She climbed into the truck.
And as she drove away, one thought refused to leave her mind.
The fake relationship had crossed a line.
Because jealousy... Was never pretend.
- Writer
